Sheet winding and turning method and system

ABSTRACT

A winding and turning device for printed paperboard sheets and the like wherein a stack of horizontal sheets comprising the stack are rotated in the vertical plane, while being confinedly supported, beyond 90* with the boards being projected against a curved plate to implement breaking any ink pack which may be in a load due to movement of the sheets against one another and to provide enhanced column strength to prevent a tendency of the board slipping to the bottom of the pile as retaining jaws of the turner are opened with resultant bottom edge pressure preventing proper winding or aeration, the boards or sheets comprising the load subsequently being rotated back to a 90* orientation or of vertical sheet alignment and the sheets then being winded along the bottom and side edges thereof by appropriately positioned and controlled aerating nozzles. Substantially during winding jogging of the sheets can be accomplished by tipping an entire sheet support to move the sheets into a down corner and implementing mechanical or other vibrating or jogging means to the machine elements or to the side of a load.

United States Patent Thompson et al.

[ Aug. 1,1972

[54] SHEET WINDING AND TURNING METHOD AND SYSTEM [72] Inventors: Gene C. Thompson, Hollis Center; Joseph E. Radomski, Saco; David E. Wilson, Cumberland Center, all of Maine [73] Assignee: Southworth Machine Company, Portland, Maine 22 Filed: May 28,1971

21 Appl.No.: 147,944

[52] US. Cl. ..34/23, 34/34, 34/ 150, 34/229, 271/26 R, 271/89 [51] Int. Cl ..F26b 5/00 [58] Field of Search ..271/89, 86, 18, 26; 34/23, 34/28, 33, 34, 150, 164, 229, 151, 163;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,457,775 6/1923 Henderson ..271/26 R 2,247,794 7/1941 Wallach ..271/89 X 3,239,944 3/1966 Gebert ..271/89 X 3,259,992 7/1966 Bonwit et a1. ..271/26 R X 3,418,725 12/1968 Ruud ..271/89 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR-APPLICATIONS 1,352,984 l/l964 France ..34/150 Primary Examiner-Evon C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-Bruce H. Stoner, Jr. Attorney-David l-l. Semmes [57] ABSTRACT A winding and turning device for printed paperboard sheets and the like wherein a stack of horizontal sheets comprising the stack are rotated in the vertical plane, while being confinedly supported, beyond 90 with the boards being projected against a curved plate to implement breaking any ink pack which may be in a load due to movement of the sheets against one another and to provide enhanced column strength to prevent a tendency of the board slipping to the bottom of the pile as retaining jaws of the turner are opened with resultant bottom edge pressure preventing proper winding or aeration, the boards or sheets comprising the load subsequently being rotated back to a 90 orientation or of vertical sheet alignment and the sheets then being winded along the bottom and side edges thereof by appropriately positioned and controlled aerating nozzles. Substantially during winding jogging of the sheets can be accomplished by tipping an entire sheet support to move the sheets into a down corner and implementing mechanical or other vibrating or jogging means to the machine elements or to the side of a load.

9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAuc H912 sum 1 OF 2 H. (w 2 1 w INVIZNIOIS GEbE C. THOMSON JOSEPH E. RADOMSKI I DAVID E WILSON y MMM ATTORNEY SHEET WINDING AND TURNING METHOD AND SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Heretofore winding and jogging devices for paperboard sheet and the like have been proposed including apparatus for rotating a stack of horizontal sheets to a vertical positionment of the wet sheets with a subsequent winding or aeration of the sheets while vertically supported and positioned. Such heretofore known methods and apparatus however have not been entirely satisfactory in operation in that sticking or blurring has occurred between freshly printed sheets in a stack and the drying or curing process during winding has not been entirely satisfactory. Particularly on large size sheets the board will tend to slip to the bottom of the pile as the jaws of supporting turners are opened, the resulting pressure thus preventing proper aeration with increased difficulties due to sticking together of the sheets.

The present invention teaches a method and system overcoming various drawbacks of previous methods and apparatus and results in highly improved end results.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a sheet winding and turning method and system wherein optimum winding or aeration of the sheets is possible and wherein ink pack which may be in the load due to'movement of the sheets against one another is broken and the necessary column strength is provided to prevent tendency of the board to slip to the bottom of the pile as jaws of a supporting turner are opened which eliminates resultant pressure from preventing proper aeration and particularly along the bottom edges of the sheets when vertically disposed as also aeration along the side edges for optimum results.

The results of the invention are attained by rotating the load consisting of the horizontally stacked sheets from the side or end on a large bearing in the vertical plane past 90 to, for example, 160 and causing the board to fall against a curved plate. This breaks any ink pack which may be in the load due to movement of the sheets against one another and further provides desired column strength. The load is subsequently rotated back to 90, a vertical positionment of the sheets, and winded or aerated with bottom and side nozzles. Jogging and/or vibrating of machine elements or side of the load can be included at the time of winding.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof when taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of apparatus for practicing the invention;

F IG. 2 is a diagrammatic end view showing'the initial position of a stack of sheets in the turner;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic top view showing the position of the sheets when rotated to the extreme position; and

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic top view showing the positionment of the stack in the succeeding position to be winded or aerated.

Referring now in more detail to the drawings the apparatus includes a skid support and turner generally designated 10 including a normally horizontally disposed skid support platform 12 adapted to receive a skid having a stack of paperboard sheets thereon in a usual manner as indicated by skid entry arrow 14 with skid positionment being indicated by broken lines at 16, the skid being schematically depicted at 18 with a plurality of individual stacked sheets as at 20. The skids are so placed as to abut a back plate 22 and a side or edge plate 24. The arrangement of platform 12, back plate 22 and side plate 24 are such as to provide a nesting pocket 26 for the sheets in the stack in a usual manner. A support member 28 is appropriately mounted to back plate 22 and is normally vertically positioned as shown in FIG. 1 for placement of a skid in the turner and support. Structure including beams 30 and bracing 32 extend from and between support members 28 which form a portion of a support frame 34 of the turner. Appropriate means, not shown, can include bearing means supporting the frame 34 through beams 30 so that the turner and support 10 can be rotated as indicated by arrow 36 in the vertical plane. A curved plate stack retaining and side member 38 is appropriately adjustably mounted with respect to frame 34 and plate 22 to adjustably engage the top of the load consisting of the stacked sheets on the skid in the position of the turner shown in FIG. 1. The curved plate per se is indicated at 40.

In operation, a skid having the stacked sheets thereon is introduced into the turner and positioned as indicated at 16 nesting in the pocket 26 whereupon the curved plate member 38 is brought into engagement with the top of the stack in a clamping position. The turner and support 10 is then rotated as indicated by arrow 36 in a vertical plane through an angle greater than for example from a position shown in FIG. 2 to a position shown in FIG. 3. The positionment of a curved plate member 38 determines the amount of contact or compression therebetween and the sheets in the stack. Upon rotation to this position beyond 90 the individual sheets are caused to fall against the curved plate 40. This serves to break any ink pack which may be in the load due to movement of the sheets against one another and at the same time provides a desired and required column strength of the sheets as will be described.

The load is then rotated back to a 90 positionment from the starting position so that the sheets are vertically arranged on their edges as shown in FIG. 4. The jaws of the turner are normally open in this position to permit proper aeration with edges of the sheet in a fanned condition to facilitate air passage therebetween.

Required or desired column strength in the sheets results from falling of the sheets against the curved plate and even in large size sheets the board will not tend to slip to the bottom of the pile as the jaws of the turner are opened with a resultant pressure which might prevent proper aeration along the bottom edge of the sheets as will appear hereinafter.

For winding or aeration of the sheets, a plurality of air nozzles are operatively positioned at least at the end edges of the sheets when vertically positioned and along the bottom edge. To this end the back plate 22 is provided with slots 42 through which air jets from air nozzles 44 are directed, the nozzles 44 being mounted on member 46 mounted for movement along the slots 42. In like manner side or edge plate 24 is provided with slots 48 for operative association of air nozzles 50 mounted on member 52 for reciprocating of the nozzles in the slots. Additional air nozzles 54 adjustably mounted on cross member 56 are positioned opposite the nozzles 44 at the opposite open end of the turner and support 10. The members 46, 52 and 58 in effect constitute manifolds for introduction of air or other treating medium into and through the individual sets of nozzles.

During the winding operation it will be seen that the nozzles 44 and 54 are operable for winding of the sides or side edges of the sheets in the stack when vertically positioned on their edges. The nozzles 50 wind the sheets along their bottom edges. The various nozzles being movable provide appropriate winding or aeration coverage of the side and bottom edges of the sheets and it has been found highly effective for proper drying or treatment of the sheets per se or in conjunction with jogging means for sheet proper orientation or alignment. Individual sheets can be easily removed from the stack of sheets in vertical alignment as desired. This composite winding aspect in conjunction with results of angle greater than 90;

C. impinging the sheets in the so rotated stack against a curved surface to contour and position the sheets for enhanced column strength;

D. reversely rotating the stack to an angle of 90 to the horizontal to position the sheets vertically edgewise supported; and

E. winding the so vertically positioned sheets.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sheets consist of inked paperboard, impingement of the sheets against the curved surface serving to break any ink pack which may be in the load due to movement of the sheets against one another.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein winding includes introduction of aerating medium at and along the bottom andside edges thereof.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the curved surface is convex with respect to impinging sheets.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the curved surface comprises a plate serving as a top confining member for the vertically stacked sheets and a side support surface for the sheets in rotated position at the impingement and aerating positions.

6. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein aerating medium is introduced from a plurality of air nozzles mounted for movement along said edges.

7. method as claimed in claim 6, wherein sub-.

sequent to sheet impingement and in vertical positionment the sheet edges are in a generally fanned array to facilitate introduction of aerating medium between the 

1. A method of winding sheets comprising: A. vertically stacking a plurality of horizontally oriented superposed sheets; B. rotating the stack in a vertical plane through an angle greater than 90*; C. impinging the sheets in the so rotated stack against a curved surface to contour and position the sheets for enhanced column strength; D. reversely rotating the stack to an angle of 90* to the horizontal to position the sheets vertically edgewise supported; and E. winding the so vertically positioned sheets.
 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sheets consist of inked paperboard, impingement of the sheets against the curved surface serving to break any ink pack which may be in the load due to movement of the sheets against one another.
 3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein winding includes introduction of aerating medium at and along the bottom and side edges thereof.
 4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the curved surface is convex with respect to impinging sheets.
 5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the curved surface comprises a plate serving as a top confining member for the vertically stacked sheets and a side support surface for the sheets in rotated position at the impingement and aerating positions.
 6. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein aerating medium is introduced from a plurality of air nozzles mounted for movement along said edges.
 7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein subsequent to sheet impingement and in vertical positionment the sheet edges are in a generally fanned array to facilitate introduction of aerating medium between the sheets during winding.
 8. A method as claimed in claim 7 and wherein the sheets during winding are jogged to facilitate edge alignment.
 9. A method as claimed in claim 8 and further reversely rotating the stack to its original position for removal and subsequent treatment. 